One of the most beautiful vehicles every built by General Motors was the 1957 Oldsmobile. This example is a rare 57 Olds model 98 convertible. D&P customer John G. had been searching for a 57 Olds 98 for a long time. The 98 is a much rarer model than the 88’s which were produced in large numbers. After a lengthy search a possible car was found in Oakland, Ca. The owner had previously owned a GM salvage yard but had closed the yard many years ago but hung onto a few classics including this rare 98 ragtop. After a little negotiation the owner agreed to sell the Olds. The car was a good candidate for saving, but needed everything. From the beginning the plan was to build a street rod that could be driven daily in comfort with dependability. A build plan was put together and work began. Of course there was some metal work to be performed and all the usual tasks that take place during restoration.The best solution to modernize the chassis was to build a new one with modern suspension. D&P had well know chassis builder Morrison Enterprises build them a new, updated chassis for the classic Olds. The new chassis included modern front suspension with rack and pinion steering, and a triangulated four bar rear suspension. The chassis was built to modern standards and the rails were built to heavy duty specifications to provide strength for the mega Olds. The newly built chassis was fitted to the body and then the vehicle was completely assembled to confirm fit issues. For power a GM Performance 502 big block was purchased. The original RamJet induction system was removed and a one-off intake was designed and built by the craftsman at Hogan’s. The big block was mated to a 4 speed automatic GM transmission for better drivability on the highway. The engine compartment was completely hand crafted along with the induction system. After necessary metal work was completed the crew at D&P spent hundreds of hours performing body and paint work. A custom blend of PPG Vibrance paint was prepared and the Olds was painted with the PPG tri-coat metallic red paint. Even the floors were color sanded and buffed. Creature comforts include air conditioning, power widows, tilt column, power rack and pinion steering, 4 wheel 6 piston Baer brakes, power bucket seats, modern instrument panel by Classic Instruments, D&P one-off billet wheels, March Performance big block pulley system, a totally custom leather interior, matching red Haartz cloth top and boot. John’s Olds gets a lot of attention where ever it goes. The classic Olds has won numerous awards including bests of show. The best part is that John drives this car on a regular basis as that’s what it was built for.
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